Other animals

Alligators, birds and insects aren't the only animals that roam the Everglades. Teeming with life, this unique ecological preserve features a stunning array of diverse wildlife.

Panthers

Known locally as the Florida panther, these large cats are actually members of the jaguar family. According to author Ken Alvarez, as many as 1,360 panthers may have lived in Florida before Europeans settled here. Today, as few as 30 to 50 panthers are left on the East Coast, all of them located in Florida. Their numbers are so low, in fact, that seeing a panther in the wild, even in a protected area like Everglades National Park, is extremely rare.

To find out more about the panthers, scientists have been tracking the animals with radio-transmitter collars. They have also taken some panther cubs and raised them in captivity and then re-introduced them into the wild to ensure their survival.

Manatees

A bit like a walrus, a bit like a seal, the manatee is an underwater mammal with a friendly face and funny flippers. Manatees live in the saltwater portions of South Florida and can often be found floating among the winding canals around Miami and just off shore in Everglades City.

Manatees are massive. Adults can grow to be about 6 feet long and can weigh up to 1,000 pounds. These obese herbivores can eat as much as 100 pounds of food a day.

Unfortunately, manatees are often too friendly for their own good. Many have cuts and scars where they were sliced by the rudders of boats.

White-tailed deer

Although usually associated with colder climates, the white-tailed deer is also found in the Everglades. Deer are usually more visible during the winter months when the area is drier and it is easier for the deer to wander across the park.

Otters

The North American river otter is found in freshwater areas from Canada to the southern United States. This social animal makes its home along the banks of rivers, surviving mostly on a diet of frogs, crayfish and other water animals. Otters can grown to 2 ½ to 3 feet long and weigh about 10 to 25 pounds.

In the Everglades, otters are found most often during the spring and summer on the Anhinga Trail and at Shark Valley.